1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to the field of power transistors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power circuits are generally susceptible to issues related to power dissipation, such as concentrated heat and current densities. Power dissipation, simply put, is the product of current flowing through a device that has some amount of resistance. The dissipation of power in a device over a period of time produces undesirable heat, which may, if in sufficient quantity, cause melting in portions of the device. Melting in semiconductor devices generally leads to operational failure.
Current density is a measurement of electric current through an area and can also lead to device malfunction. For example, when the path for current to flow becomes restricted to an area that is relatively small for the amount of current flowing, the current density increases. A sufficient increase in current density begins to break down the material through which the current is flowing. This breakdown, similar to undesirable amounts of heat, generally leads to device failure.